Flawed views on assisted suicide bill

I have worked as a physician assistant for seven years. I have taken care of many patients suffering from terminal illnesses; some would have appreciated the option of medical aid in dying to peacefully end their lives.

Insurers routinely make coverage determinations based on the efficacy of a drug or procedure. Many will decline to pay for experimental or unproven treatments. Reimbursement decisions are independent of whether or not a state has an authorized medical aid-in-dying law

None of Dr. Callister’s argument bears out when checked against the data and 30 years of combined experience across the six authorized states and the District of Columbia.

This is 2017. Patient-centered care has removed the ego from medicine and truly puts the patient’s wants and needs first.
My patients deserve this option if they deem it’s the right thing for themselves. I will keep fighting until we join the rest of the states that have already recognized this right.

Travis Fogelman

Wilmington

Right choice can be a hard choice

With a large deficit looming, it is time for our elected representatives to make the right choices.

No sales tax please. When I was 13 and living in New Jersey, they instituted a 2 percent sales tax, and said they would never raise it. The rest is history.

Once initiated, it is too easy to increase the rate to balance a budget. Sales taxes are also regressive and hurt the poor disproportionally.

Another two items are cop outs -- letting school districts raise taxes without taxpayer voting approval and cutting state costs by transferring them to the counties.

If our representatives don’t want to make the hard decisions themselves, then give the voters the power of referendum and put the hard choices on a ballot. Then any angry voters can’t blame the elected officials.

Media remains on the left

So if I say “Milbank's opinion is full of leftist bias and lacks any factual backing,” Milbank responds by calling me a liar.

Does my opinion make me liar? This is exactly what happened in the Trump/Comey interaction. Trump says the “FBI is poorly managed and lacks leadership.” Comey says “That's a lie.” Media (USA TODAY, Milbank, et.al.) reacts, saying “Trump is a liar.”

Mr. Milbank, who is being defamed here?

Similarly, NSA authorities, as well as Comey, confirm Russia tried to interfere with our elections. To my knowledge no facts have been presented publicly, except for Hillary's excuse for losing, that confirm Russia actually interfered.

We have certainly influenced foreign elections and in fact didn't Obama just declare support for Macron in the French election?

Jerry Emerson

Dover

Don't advocate sin taxes

I cannot believe the new rash of letters and articles to The News Journal advocating the raising of current taxes and adding new ones to accommodate the state's fiscal shortage.

And typically, these views are justifying taxes on cigarettes, soda, alcohol, as they are viewed as a morally backward.

I cannot believe that people think this will solve the shortfall. It is not the means to an end. It is just another reason to stick it to the working people. I smoke, drink soda and enjoy a six pack on a Friday night. And I have no children.

Would I advocate a one-time tax on child births, say $ 2000.per child, because that would not affect me and put the tax burden on others ?

No, because that would be short sighted and selfish, just like those who advocate putting the tax burden on others who enjoy certain legally obtainable products.

With the justification that they are unhealthy? Please, already. Any state's taxes fall into a bottomless well that is never quenched.

Shame on those who want taxes raised or created and justify them by adding moral or health implications.